Yellow Roses
by rosa lunae
Summary: Alternate Universe. Character Death. When tragedy strikes, two lonely lovers are drawn together again after 10 years of silence. Can anything of beauty bloom from the death of a friend? Tommy and Kim search for the answer.
1. Part 1

_Recently, I discovered that old episodes of MMPR were available on YouTube. This program was dear to me as a child, especially the relationship between Tommy and Kimberly. When I heard that Jason David Frank had reprised his role on one of the new generations of Power Rangers, Dino Thunder, I leisurely followed the series development online and discovered that Dr. Oliver had no obvious romantic interests throughout the show, I started toying with ideas of how Dr. Oliver, now presumably in his late 20s would react to Kimberly's return, now that he's hung up the armor for what seems to be the final time. I also discovered that the actress that played Trini, Thuy Trang, met a tragic death in a car accident in 2001. I wondered what would happen if news of Trini's death (moved forward a few years) brought Kim and Tommy together, after Tommy has retired from the Dino Thunder Rangers and they've been out of touch for almost 10 years. This story was born._

_**Yellow Rose**_

**Part One**

The wind was changing in Reefside. Even after the threat was gone and he'd watched with a small smile as his retired team of Dino Thunder Rangers walked the stage and get their diplomas and Hayley followed her own ambitions to another city, Dr. Thomas Oliver remained. He took joy from his teaching and outside of school, he busied himself with research, and the occasional martial arts practice in his living room.

He carried on as he had before the discovery of the stones that started the next era. In the morning, his alarm went off. Ten minutes later, his phone alarm went off. Ten minutes after that his watch alarm went off, and he would get up and face the day. He sat at his table, feet propped up in a chair, sipping coffee for a moment and reading the newspaper. He would shower, go over his notes for class, and head to school. He taught with firmness and a ready smile and encouraged every student, and when he came home, the house was empty. He had dinner, maybe caught an episode of Law and Order, prepared for class, and when he went to bed, he lay on his back staring at his ceiling for hours. In his mind, he always attributed it to insomnia, medical and rational and factual and not at all linked to the loneliness eating him away.

It was in those hours with the lights off and the world around him sleeping and silent that Tommy allowed himself to think back on days in his youth when he'd been the happiest. Now, he wasn't old, even if his 30th birthday loomed on the horizon, but so many years of fighting--he felt aged. He looked back on his high school years, remembered how invincible he felt, how loved and surrounded by amazing friends, and he wished for those days.

Now, those friends were scattered across the country, the globe even. Every now and then, he'd get a call from Jason and they'd reminisce their glory days. Kat sent him a card from London on his birthday every year, and sometimes Billy would contact him from Aquitar. Trini made a point to send a letter his way once in a while, and Zack emailed him sometimes, just to catch up. Adam and Tanya, recently engaged, made contact now and again, mostly to pester Tommy about his marital status. Rocky and Aisha stayed close to each other but denied any romantic intentions on either side, but the pair was devoted to keeping in touch with fellow rangers. Tommy's heart soared every time he could see, talk to, or write back to one of his trusted friends, but he found that the one he missed the most was the most elusive in reality and the most frequent visitor to his dreams.

He often considered trying to find her, bracing himself for a vision of her married, even pregnant. He knew he had the resources to find her, knew that she kept in contact with the original five religiously and often called up Aisha to chat. His bitterness about the letter had faded with the years, leaving only questions. He had a feeling that Jason knew more than he let on, but Jason never did more than drop hints, mention her name sometimes, then let it go.

He wondered why she never tried to contact him again after she and Jason had been rescued from the clutches of Divatox. When Kat left for London and they parted with smiles, it wasn't nearly like his parting with the original Pink Ranger; he likened that moment to someone tearing out his lungs and asking him to keep on breathing.

In those moments at night when sleep escaped him, Tommy thought of Kimberly. His first love, the girl whose scent and smile still lingered in the nooks and crannies of his heart. Even years later, even after being dropped by a Dear John letter then having to fight her when evil claimed her mind then letting her slip through his fingers the final time, he still missed her. He longed to hear her laugh, see her smile, see the look of trust and maybe a wink that she'd always given him, and only him. He wished for the sound of her voice.

Late one evening, when he was pulling his shirt over his shoulders and getting ready to settle into bed with some notes for class and one the free magazines of open real estate he'd picked up at a gas station, his cell phone rang, and he got his wish.

"Tommy-- it's me. It's Kimberly."

He was stunned speechless for a moment, then was stuttering like a nervous teenager again. The shocked numbed him to the grief so starkly evident in her voice.

"Kim! Wow, um, hello! It's been so long, I don't--"

"I know, Tommy, and I'm sorry. But... Tommy--"

He heard her tears now, and his fingers automatically tightened around the receiver, fear and anger and worry immediately fighting for precedence in his mind.

"What's wrong, Kim? What's happened?"

"It's Trini..." She was fighting so hard for her composure, and losing. Images of the top of her head, her wringing hands, and the soft purr of the constant ocean flashed through his mind until her words interrupted them. "She's gone, Tommy. There was a terrible car accident, and... she's gone."

He felt his mouth hanging open, felt the breath stolen from him and the shock of grief starting to bloom. He swallowed with difficulty, and remembered Kim. One of her closest friends... "Oh, no... Kim. This is... awful.. I can't believe... Trini? I just got a letter from her last week..."

Kim was crying openly now, and Tommy couldn't bare it. "Where are you, Kim? What about the others?"

"The Kwans called me, and I'm getting on a plane within the hour. You're the first I called... The Kwans asked me to contact the others... said I knew the ones closest to her. I think they were suspicious, Tommy, but they didn't mention it, just asked me to contact her friends. You're the first I called..."

"Are you alone?"

The question, murmured through his clenched teeth and pushed passed the lump in his throat, caught her off-guard. "Y-yes. I am alone."

Her answer rid Tommy of all bitterness that Kat had tried for years to bring to his surface and sweep away. Rocky had tried to cover it with jokes and karate and fast food; Billy and Adam tried reason, Aisha, companionship; in their sparring matches, Jason had tried to beat his feelings out of him, and Katherine gave herself. All had failed. But Kimberly's soft admission of solitude, her brave struggle to control her emotions for him, her simple apology, and the sincerity and uncertainty in her voice as she confessed that she had called him first brought weakness to his knees and balm to the break in his heard that healed crookedly. He stood up and started to pace the room, forcing strength into his legs.

"Where are you now?"

"I'm in France, visiting my mother and stepfather for the week. I'm actually in a taxi, on the way to the airport. I got the call while I was seeing the sights on my own-- I didn't even go back to my mother to say goodbye. I'm leaving immediately. It's 10 in the morning here." Her voice was stronger, but still soft and trembling with emotion.

A combination of grief and the very intense urge to be with Kimberly muddled his thoughts, and Tommy barely managed to respond as rationally as he did. "Your... your flight. When does it leave and where will it take you?"

She was confused. "I uh... called in a charge to a flight that leaves at 11 am here. I'll switch planes in Atlanta and from there, fly directly to Angel Grove."

"I'll meet you in Atlanta."

"W-what?" she sputtered.

"I said I'll meet you in Atlanta and fly back with you. What's your flight number?"

"Tommy, that's ridiculous! You're already close to Angel Grove! You're going to fly across the country, then fly back?"

Even though they were an ocean apart, Tommy stopped pacing and squared his shoulders, as if bracing himself for her stubborn protests in person. "You shouldn't be alone."

Kimberly started to rattle off reasons for him to stay put but he ignored them. He held the phone between his shoulder and his ear and dressed quickly. While she ranted, he typed a short email to Principal Randall, taking the rest of the week off due to a death in the family. After all, the Rangers were his family. Then, he interrupted Kim's protests. "Kim, I'm coming. I might be a school teacher, but I'm not broke, ok? I'm fine. The two of us can talk on the flight. You shouldn't do this alone."

"Tommy..." Her voice was so soft; he didn't know what conclusions to draw from her tone. Finally, she took a deep breath, but said nothing. He surged on.

"I'll help you call the others. If you can call Jason, Zack, and Aisha, I can call Rocky, Adam, and get word to Billy. Adam will tell Tanya, and Tanya will tell Katherine; Justin never knew Trini. I'll get right on this, Kim, and I'll see you in Atlanta. We'll get through this. Take care."

He had nearly hung up when he heard her whisper. "Tommy?"

"Yeah, Kim?"

"Thank you."

Before he could respond, she bit back a shuddering sob and hung up.

Tommy quickly did the math to see how long it would take him and Kimberly respectively to reach Atlanta. For him, it would take about five hours, but she would take almost 8. It was past 1 in the morning now-- he saw that a flight left for Atlanta at 4:08 am, making the arrival times of his and Kim's flights only minutes apart. He booked it, then settled into his couch with his cell phone in his lap. After he took a few moments for his own grief, he rubbed his eyes and went down to his lab to prepare a transmission to Aquitar.

X

Two hours later, the calls were made. However upset Adam and Rocky were, they had known Trini for a very short time. But Billy's grief was unadulterated, almost bringing Tommy's composure crumbling down.

The intensity of the original Blue Ranger's reaction confirmed a theory that had long ruminated in Tommy's mind, and he ached for his friend. The transmission was fuzzy, but Billy's shocked pallor was clear.

Billy resorted to logic, asking for details about the accident, the extent of her injuries, the circumstances, everything. His reaction woke his wife Cestria, who was frightened by his state. Tommy the reality of the situation seeping in as Billy, stunned and pale, tried to find the presence of mind to embrace his wife and assure her that he was well.

Tommy felt himself starting to stagger under the reality of the situation. He mumbled a promise to contact them again when he had more details, then closed the transmission.

Even as a newcomer to the group, Tommy had seen the bond between Billy and Trini-- she understood him, overcame her fears to save him. He counted on her during a crisis requiring technological ingenuity, allowed her to bring him from his shell. Tommy had often wondered if either party had wanted to be more than friends. Neither had ever acted on it, but it didn't diminish their connection.

And as much as he felt for Billy, he couldn't begin to imagine what Kim's initial reaction had been in comparison. Certainly she would have taken time to attempt control before calling him, and even then, her struggle was obvious. He admired her strength of will, but it hurt him that she felt like she couldn't be open with him. Time and a very infamous letter lay far between them.

As he drove to the airport, the streets of Reefside were deathly still. Billy's face still haunted his mind, and Kim's trembling voice seemed to echo throughout the SUV. The bond between the original five was intense-- he could only imagine the reactions Kim would be receiving from Jason and Zack. Trini's successor, Aisha, couldn't be much less distraught. Though, Rocky might reach Aisha with the news before Kim.

And Kimberly, who had arguably been the closest to Trini, would swallow her own grief to comfort her friends. Every protective instinct he possessed was screaming in protest. And, somewhere, an old desire for answers was awakening. Five hours on a plane together would probably be enough time to scratch the surface.

When Tommy was settled on the plane, he had almost dozed off when his cellphone rang. He snatched it up, hoping to see Kim's name on the caller ID.

Instead, the it reported "Katherine."

"Hello?"

"Tommy, I just heard the news. I'm so sorry." Her Australian accented voice sounded soft with grief.

"Thanks, Kat. I'm on a plane, so I might lose you."

"You're flying into Angel Grove now, I guess?"

Tommy opened his mouth, then shut it. The trip made perfect sense to him, but to explain it to the woman who had tried so hard to replace Kimberly was another matter entirely. In the end, he knew one thing: he was a crappy liar.

"Actually, I'm taking a little side trip first."

"Where?"

"Atlanta. To meet Kimberly."

Kat was silent for a moment, digesting what that admission meant. And though she was happily engaged in London, Tommy was willing to bet that the news wasn't particularly welcome.

"Tommy... I know how much you care about her..."

"Trini was Kimberly's best friend; they grew up together, and even after Trini went to Switzerland and Kim went to Florida, they never lost track of each other. And Kim is alone right now; I can't stand it."

"You're trying to rescue her, Tommy. You always have. And even 10 years later, she still counts on you to save her."

He didn't bother denying it. "She protested at first, but right before she hung up, she thanked me."

"I don't want you to get hurt again."

"Kat, one of my closest friends is dead. One of Kim's closest friends. That's the reality. 10 years is a long time. Trust me; I'm an adult, so is Kim. This isn't the time to catch up, reminisce about high school, or see if the spark is still there. It isn't the time to ask questions, wonder what might have been. It's time to mourn. As a family."

Kat felt the soft reprimand in her former leader's voice. She sighed. "You know, I had hoped that the first Ranger Reunion of this magnitude would be Adam and Tanya's wedding. But have no doubt, Tommy-- every ranger that ever knew or knew about Trini will be there. The Power joins us all."

Static warned Tommy that his connection was shaky. "You're right, Kat. I'll be in touch. Take care."

Tommy felt the gravity of his grief hanging heavy over him. He gave into sleep to escape the pain of memories that once brought him incomparable joy.

X

Though five hours had passed, timezones dictated that it was 6:15am when Tommy landed in Atlanta. He had slept four of the five hours, but he did not feel rested. Kim's plane was due in ten minutes. He found her gate, sat down. He got back up and began to pace.

"Flight 418 from Paris has just been cleared; please await your party in front of Gate 3-A."

Tommy thought he was prepared to see Kimberly again.

He was wrong.

When he caught a flash of her brown hair, Tommy froze. Anger, joy, betrayal, desire, and an intense sense of nostalgia flared in his chest. But when the crowd sifted through the gate, and his view of her was clear, Tommy's heart broke for her.

Kim came through the gate clutching a pink handbag to her chest. Her hair was disheveled, her black blouse was wrinkled. Dark circles and streams of mascara underscored her eyes, stark against the pallor of her skin. Her face held little expression and no light.

"Kim!"

She whirled, eyes searching. When their eyes met, she bit her lip as her eyes filled, and started walking towards him. Tommy broke into a jog, hearing Kim's sniffles begin. When he reached her, Tommy wrapped Kim in his arms and crushed her to his chest. Whatever unresolved issues and unanswered questions lay between them, in their grief, they were united.

Kim's composure crumbled. She cried softly into Tommy's chest, shoulders trembling. Tommy's senses were reeling from his embrace with Kim, but he manage to whisper in her ear.

"It's okay, Kim. Shh. We'll all get through this."

Kim pulled away, and Tommy was incredibly tempted to wipe her tears away. "I can't believe she's gone, Tommy," she whispered. "After everything Trini lived through... it isn't right."

"Nothing about this is right, Kim," he murmured, still holding her shoulders. His own lingering sense of responsibility toward his team had taken a guilty blow, however irrational. He felt he had somehow failed to protect Trini from death and the others from this grief. The death of a Power Ranger, even a retired one, seemed like defeat. Tommy swallowed these feelings, refocusing on Kimberly.

"Come on, let's go get your bags."

She didn't move when he tried to lead her towards the baggage claim. In fact, the barest, smallest hint of sheepish mirth danced in her eyes behind the tears. "No need."

"What?"

"I... uh... I didn't bring any. I came straight to the airport and called Mom and Pierre right after I called you."

Tommy cocked an eyebrow. Kimberly Ann Hart being so impulsive that she forgot her baggage? That had to be a first.

She looked embarrassed so he smiled, took her elbow, and led her to the gate for their flight to Angel Grove. "I'm sure your mom can ship your clothes to you, and we'll make due until then."

When they were seated on the plane and in the air, Tommy turned to Kim. She met his eyes wearily.

"How did the others take the news?" he asked softly, unable to put it into words.

Kim sighed, and looked out the window of the plane. "Aisha was on the phone with Rocky when I called her; she'd already heard the news. We talked for a few minutes, then she got back on with Rocky. She'd been crying. I called Zack next and woke him up. When I told him, Tommy, he didn't believe me-- he said he'd just talked to her yesterday, and just started talking so fast I couldn't understand him. When I finally got through to him, he just stuttered that he would be in Angel Grove as soon as he could find a plane to get him there."

Tommy wanted to ask what Zack was up to, where he was in the world. The time would come.

Kim let her head rest on the chair and closed her tear-stained eyes. "Jason..."

Tommy tensed as her voice trailed off.

"I've known Jason since we were children. Even before Rita came, even as kids, Jason appointed himself as my protector. When I met Trini, we became inseparable. Eventually, Jason just extended his protective nature to her as well. When we met Zordon and had to face real danger, his need to protect us grew. Of course, you know all the guys on the team were always looking out for us, even if we could defend ourselves. But with Jason... it was different."

She took a deep breath, opened her eyes. "Tommy, he was crushed. I was crying, and for the first time, I actually heard Jason cry. He said he felt like a failure for not protecting Trini from the accident and me from the agony of her loss. He was...crushed."

Tommy was stunned; Jason's reaction sounded so close to his own. When he didn't respond immediately, he felt Kim's knowing gaze land on him. After all, no one had ever known him as well as she. He met her eyes, and her gaze was understanding, but she said nothing. Finally, he ventured.

"I understand how Jason feels."

A moment of heavy silence passed before Kimberly asked, "What about the others?"

"Rocky and Adam were both upset, but Kim, Billy—his face went white, he started peppering me with questions. He almost lost it. He barely managed to hug Cestria, he was so stunned. Kim..."

She sensed his question, and nodded. "Billy and Trini were very close; I know they loved each other. Before the Peace Conference, they entertained the idea of being more than just very good friends. But neither of them wanted a long-distance relationship, but they were always the closest of friends."

Kim seemed to realize what she'd said. She bit her lip, and looked away. Tommy's eyes were burning a whole in the back of her head. So much time passed, he thought she'd dozed off, but she surprised him when took in a deep breath.

"Tommy... I owe you an explanation. And an apology."

Despite how his heart began to pound, Tommy whispered. "Kim... we can do this later..." Many passengers from the Paris flight had dozed off.

She shook her head. "No... no. I've been a coward for too long. And we have four more hours," she noted with a small smile. She didn't face him, just stared ahead as she spoke.

"Tommy, leaving you and the others for the Pan-Globals was the second hardest thing I've ever done. When I got to Florida and started training, I hardly had time to think during the day. Everything seemed to stop though, when you called or I got a letter from you. We were both incredibly busy and so far apart; those moments were all we had. Soon, it became not a positive reminder of what I had at home, but a negative reminder of what I was missing. When I talked to you and the others, I missed you even more than when I didn't. I started to get distracted."

Tommy hardly blinked, focusing on Kim and her story.

"Did you or the others watch the Pan-Globals?" she asked suddenly, pausing the narrative.

Tommy winced. "The day of the gymnastics competition, there was an intense battle. We missed them. And... I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch them since I had gotten your letter just a few days before...And no one else ever brought them up."

Kim nodded, accepting it with a grimace. "It's okay that you didn't see the Games. I didn't compete."

Tommy's eyes widened. "But... why? Kim, that was your dream! You gave up your powers to compete in those games!"

Kim touched his arm to remind him to lower his voice, glancing around. Most passengers were asleep or listening to the flight movie through headsets.

"I know. But like I said, I missed home, being a ranger, you, the others... so much, I didn't sleep well. When I didn't sleep well, I didn't train well. Coach started to push me harder, as he should have. But all the stress was messing with my focus. Four weeks before the competition, I was injured. I was practicing a vault-- my hands slipped, and my back hit the horse...hard. I couldn't compete because I was in the hospital, hoping I'd be able to walk again."

Tommy's mouth was hanging open, and his knuckles were white against the armrests. "Oh, God. Kim...Why didn't you tell me? Are you okay now?"

She chose the second question. "Due to swelling around my spine, I was paralyzed for a few days-- the scariest few days of my life. And my injury took me out of the competition... and out of any competition. The risk of paralysis was too great. At first, I didn't call because I was in surgeries. When I woke up, I was too upset. Days passed, and I started to be ashamed of my injury. I'd left the Power Rangers only to be injured doing a vault I'd practiced hundreds of times, replaced by an alternate in the Games, and given a clipboard and USA jacket. I felt like a failure."

Tommy shut his eyes, hating it. "I would have been there for you."

"I know. You all would have been. But I was too ashamed, too afraid. But you were devoted, and kept calling me. Every time we talked, I hated not telling you and hated how ashamed and weak I felt. I got so depressed that one night, crying my eyes out, I wrote you the letter."

Tommy didn't know whether to be furious or overjoyed. "There wasn't another guy?"

"There was no one but myself," Kim whispered, hiding her face. "A few days after I sent you the letter, Coach was so concerned by my drastic depression that he had me see a psychiatrist who immediately put me on antidepressants. They helped me come to myself, deal with the reality. But the letter was done. And when you didn't call or write back, I thought that perhaps, you might have been better off. I tried to pick up the pieces of my life, and go on."

"After the Games, Coach Schmidt offered me a coaching job at his facility. I assisted him every day after school." Kim took another deep breath. "Jason was home from Switzerland for a week and surprised me with a visit. When he asked to see my medals, how the competition went, I couldn't avoid it like I could when he wrote letters. He learned the truth and decided to spend his whole week with me, trying to cheer me up, especially when I told him that I'd broken up with you. Unfortunately, our weekend was interrupted by Divatox." She grimaced at the memory. "You know that story."

Tommy nodded grimly. The Flame of Maligore had brought Jason and Kimberly's smallest resentments and most secret jealousies to light. Jason's old hurt over being replaced as leader was amplified by the flame, causing him to attack Tommy. Kim's envy toward Kat was magnified and she'd lashed out viciously at Katherine. Jason, under the spell, had shouted to Tommy "Now, I'm the one with the muscles and the power!" And Kimberly's utterance to Katherine—a comment that had mystified Tommy for years, now made sense.

"Friends? I don't have any friends."

With this new information, now, he understood. Though it was partially her fault for shutting everyone out, the injury and severe depression had driven Kim—who had always thrived on relationships and contact with others—into intense loneliness and abandonment.

Tommy was quiet as he digested it all, then finally wondered, "After Jason, Adam, and I competed in the martial arts competition, we all went out to dinner, but you didn't come and Jason wouldn't say a word. Where did you go? We... we could have talked."

Kim sniffed. "I was a coward. I saw you and Kat together. When I was ev... under the spell, you protected her from me. When you and the guys won the tournament, I watched the her run right into your arms. You looked so happy; I didn't want to get in the way. I thought that my breaking up with you might somehow have made your life better, and I wanted to hang on to that. I said goodbye to Jason, then I went back to Florida. Back to school, and back to being an assistant coach. You didn't... you didn't come after me. Again."

Tommy laid a hand on her arm. "I didn't think you wanted me to..." He quickly drew his hand away. "Back then, I thought... I thought you and Jase..."

When he couldn't finish, he met Kim's astonished stare. Then, she actually laughed. "Tommy, Jason is like my own blood. You know that."

He gave a small, sheepish smile. "Of course I do. But when the two of you showed up together, and seemed so close... I jumped to conclusions. He set me in my place when you left and I tried to grill him."

Kim smiled at that, then looked out the window for a moment, lost in thought. Tommy's sudden intake of air and tight hand on her arm must have startled her from it, as she jumped just slightly.

"Couldn't you have been seriously injured in those fights with Divatox?"

She sighed. "The risk is always there. Screws in my lower backbone keep the vertebrae in place, but it's not fail-safe. Another serious fall or blow like the one I took in training could paralyze me. I was lucky."

Tommy closed his eyes, willing his heart to stop pounding so desperately. The soft murmur of multiple earphones and the whistle of the air going by the plane filled his ears until he spoke. "I'm sorry you were alone, Kim. I'm sorry you were hurt."

She shook her head vehemently as she toyed with her purse. "It was my own fault." Before he could disagree, she continued. "I learned, though. After Maligore. I tried to track down some friends from Angel Grove. Jason. Zack. Aisha. Kat. Kat told me about Billy and Cestria, and even helped me contact him a few times." When Tommy's eyebrows shot up, she hastened to say, "I asked her not to say anything to you." Her eyes clouded. "Then there was Trini. I told Trini everthing, and she was always there for me."

Tommy was hurt that she hadn't tried to contact him those years ago, but Trini's name closed the subject for the moment. Kim began to cry softly, so Tommy slid a gentle arm around her shoulders. 10 years created distance but also tore down walls. Besides, their grief made them one.

But when Kim turned and cried into his shoulders, that emotion that jumped into his throat was not sorrow. He swallowed hard and whispered. "I know, Kim, I know. I'm here; it's okay," until she dozed off.

She fell sound asleep, head resting on his shoulder. He had so many other questions and the urge to explain more about his own life, particularly as it related to Katherine. He wanted to know what she'd done after high school, how long she'd stayed in Florida, where she'd been before she'd gone to visit her family in Paris. But her rhythmic breathing and lazy hand curled into his shirt lulled him into a comfortable, if distracted, sleep.

XXX

When Tommy woke up, he felt disoriented. He shot up in his seat as the memories of the past hours came crashing back. A gentle hand on his arm immediately helped him to relax.

"Easy, Tommy."

He blinked. Kim was bleary-eyed, as if she too had just woken up. She still hadn't bothered to wash the mascara streaks from her face. He eased himself back into his seat, and Kim withdrew her hand, leaving a small cold area on his arm.

"You get a nap?" he wondered, rubbing his eyes.

"A bit. We're landing in an hour."

Tommy shook himself back into reality. Both were edging away from the shock of grief; dull acceptance was setting in, and Tommy had questions. After a few minutes of silence, he ventured them. "So, what were Zack and Trini up to after the Peace Conference? I know what Jase has been doing; since his stint as the Gold Ranger, we've kept in touch. And what have you been up to these past years besides coaching?"

Kim sighed. "Jason's stuck around California, got a business degree and opened up a dojo, as you know. And he's still talking to Emily actually. Won't get serious no matter how much I bug him about it. Zack graduated high school in Switzerland, then went to NYU to study performing arts. Last time we talked, he told me he was dancing in an off-Broadway show. I was going to try and go see it before it closed." Kim swallowed. "Trini went to Cambridge and studied engineering. After she graduated, she also came back to California and was working in Sacramento before the accident. She was dating a guy named Craig; last time we talked, she said he'd started dropping hints about marriage."

Tommy digested that with shut eyes and tight fists. After a heavy grief-filled pause, Kim continued. "While I assisted Coach Schmidt, I finished high school, then put myself through college at UFA. Before the accident, I was planning to major in Phys Ed and get a job teaching and coaching at high school. I still could have coached cheerleading and taught PE if I wanted to, but I didn't want to be a coach that couldn't demonstrate moves or be reminded of everything. My coaching with Schmidt was a strictly clipboard-carrying and verbal coaching. Coach wouldn't allow me to go against the doctor's recommendations by getting on the bars or beam or vault, even the floor. The day I fell, I lost my career as a gymnast, and my back-up career as a good coach."

He took her hand. "I'm sorry, Kim."

"I've learned to cope. It's just a sport. Wearing the jacket and carrying the clipboard has been enough. In college, I majored in Elementary Education and minored in Music. I was in the process of negotiating a move back to California and searching for a job close to Angel Grove. Coach gave me a week of vacation to visit my mom and stepfather."

Tommy nodded; he'd always predicted that if she didn't stay with gymnastics, that Kim would work with children or go into the music industry.

She gave a weak smile. "I heard you shocked everyone by getting your PhD in paleontology and becoming a high school science teacher. I never would have seen it coming. Although, the other part of your job... I saw that one coming a mile away."

He lifted a brow. "You heard about that?"

She shrugged. "No matter how many different teams there are, we all stick together. News travels."

He returned a tired smile. "Well, I guess I never shook the dinosaurs from our first go. And I missed you guys. So I studied fossils like they were some kind of reminder of the good times we had back then."

The pilot announced that they would be landing in Angel Grove in 15 minutes.

"Is there a special lady in your life? What about Kat?"

Tommy's eyebrows shot up; he turned his gaze upon Kim's face, tenderly noticing that she couldn't meet his eyes. "Kat and I dated off and on back in high school. It was never very serious; when she got the opportunity to study ballet in London, we ended it and decided to stick to being friends. She's still in London and happily engaged.

"In college, I met a girl named Hayley who helped me design the—" he lowered his voice to a whisper, "--morphers for the team I coached. We were good as partners, but never interested in anything more. She moved away recently. So, no... there is no special lady in my life."

He could swear that her posture relaxed. Spurred, he ventured, "What about you?"

She grimaced; obviously, talking about the letter was difficult for her. "Like I said, there never was another guy. But I couldn't take back what I'd done, not when you were happy with Kat at the time. I wanted to explain, but I never worked up the courage. I haven't dated much at all. I spent all my time either studying or coaching until I graduated college. After finishing college, I spent two years working with Coach while I searched for a job and house in my spare time." She smiled a little. "The only men in my life have been Coach, my physical therapist, and Jason."

Tommy opened his mouth to comment, but the pilot's voice interrupted him. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are now flying into Angel Grove. Please put on your seat belts and prepare to land."

When they got off the plane, it was almost three in the afternoon. The pair stood in the middle of the airport as crowds of determined people flowed around them. Tommy scuffed his foot on the floor, crossing and uncrossing his arms.

"Should I drop you off at the Kwans? Get you a hotel?" He almost suggested that she stay with him since Reefside wasn't too far from Angel Grove, but he bit his tongue. After all, five hours paled in the face of 10 years.

"I can get a cab, Tommy, really," she mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

He stood a little taller, deciding. "I'll take you straight to the Kwan's house, what do you think?"

She nodded absently, following his lead as she pulled out her cell phone. He listened to her side of the conversation.

"Hi, Mrs. Kwan. Yes, I just landed in Angel Grove. No, that's okay, Tommy's here... Really? I'll ask him. Yes, we're on the way. Sure. I know, Mrs. Kwan, I know...Okay. Goodbye."

Kim slid the phone back into her purse, then met Tommy's eyes. He noted that hers were misting again.

"Mrs. Kwan wants both of us to come to dinner with the family. She said Jason is already there and that Zack should be landing soon. She... she asked if I knew how to get in touch with Billy."

Tommy started walking, leading Kim towards the parking lot. He frowned. "The original team," he noted softly. "Do you think they... do you think they're expecting us to..."

"Probably," Kim sighed. "They suspected, and now that she's gone, they want to know for sure. We'll have to talk to Jason when we get there... that is, if you want to go."

Tommy was quiet for a moment; as much as his heart broke for Trini and her family, if he was honest with himself... he didn't want to let Kimberly out of his sight. For both selfish and unselfish reasons.

"Kim, I want to be there. For the Kwans, Jase and the others... and you. Let's go." Out of habit, he reached for her hand.

**END PART ONE**

_I thought this would be a one-shot, but more needs to be said. I'm thinking either one more part, or two. Though, I could certainly leave it here... Let me know what you think. Please review._

_-rosa_


	2. Part 2

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Apparently, you guys weren't content with one chapter either. I'm not sure where this is going-- right now, I'm following the characters. I predict one or two more chapters. Don't expect any ranger action-- they're retired. But the story shouldn't be without drama. Let me know what you think!_

**Yellow Roses**

**Part Two**

Tommy and Kim drove a few miles in grieved silence before Tommy ventured to break it.

"I have resources back at my house to contact Billy. Would you like me to drop you off and then call him? We might be able to wrangle a teleport from Aquitar."

Kim shook her head vehemently at that suggestion; her grip on his hand tightened just slightly. "I'll... uh... I'd rather stay with you, if that's okay."

Tommy didn't know whether to be concerned for Kimberly's apparent fear of being alone... or pleased that she wanted to be with him. He tried not to grin.

"Okay."

They were quiet for the rest of the drive to Tommy's house; he found he wasn't uncomfortable with it. He didn't let go of her hand either.

When they got to the house, Tommy came around the car to open Kim's door and helped her out. She seemed slightly unsteady on her feet, probably due to jet lag. As he led her into his house, he explained about the Dino Thunder rangers, his role, and the lab he'd had to rebuild after the enemy had destroyed it. Kim walked through his home silently, not incredibly surprised when he showed her the hidden lab. In fact, she murmured, "I knew you were paying more attention to Billy that it seemed."

Tommy smiled slightly, and began to set up a connection to Aquitar. As he worked, Kimberly let her eyes wander over the walls of the lab, where newspaper articles dating back from the mid-nineties to the present were hung around pictures of various ranger teams. She noticed that the original team and the Dino Thunder team seemed to have slightly more mention than the others. Since Tommy's focus was arrested by technology, she took the liberty of searching with her eyes for any sort of picture of she and him... or, dare she acknowledge her pathetic jealousy?... Kat and him. She found no pictures of he and Kat alone together, but group pictures were easy enough to find. But when she meandered over to his desk, she spotted, nearly hidden by ungraded botany tests, a small picture of she and him together.

It was just after Ivan Ooze had been defeated, and Aisha had snapped the picture when neither was looking. Fireworks were exploding in the background; Tommy's arm was tight around Kim's shoulders, and her head was comfortably resting on his arm. He was gazing down at her, and her eyes were closed in a blissful smile that took up her entire face.

She felt tears of regret beginning to pool in her eyes and frantically blinked them away. When Tommy said, "It's ready," a second later, she couldn't meet his eyes.

"Kim?" He wasn't sure what he was asking.

She shook her head, fighting for composure. After a moment of tense silence, Billy's voice interrupted them.

"Tommy? _Kimberly?_"

Kim was immediately distracted from her self-loathing; she whirled to face the screen. "Billy!" she whispered. "I can't believe it's really you!"

Billy looked just as stunned, but Tommy was willing to bet that he and Kimberly being together was perhaps the most startling.

"Hello, Kim. It's been too long." The two locked eyes for a moment before Billy finally shook himself out of the stupor and addressed Tommy.

"What's going on?"

Tommy decided blunt was best. "Billy... the Kwans have asked that Jason, Zack, and the three of us join them for dinner tonight. We're contacting you to see if we can arrange a teleport."

"The original team members," Billy noted aloud, biting his lip. "Trini's family must be expecting us to reveal the verity of our pasts, now that she's..." He trailed off, looking miserable. Kim sighed.

"Come on, Billy. We need you here, just for a few days. We have to be together, as a family."

Billy nodded, letting rationale take over. "I told Cestria I would probably be going to Earth. Let me bid her farewell, and then I'll help you navigate the teleport."

Billy was off-screen for a few moments, and Kim was distracted, so Tommy took the opportunity to figure out what had upset her so much. He glanced over to his desk, and saw the picture.

"Okay, Tommy. I am ready."

Kim let the world go for a moment as the two of them started to speak in technical jargon. Maybe she would wake up. Maybe she would wake up, Trini would still be alive... and she'd still be alone and miserable in Florida? Not on speaking terms with Tommy?

She started to cry. "Trini, you devious little matchmaker..." she whispered to herself, then lost all awareness to anything other than her own agony. She didn't even realize she was sobbing.

Tommy heard Kim's sniffs begin as he was initiating the teleportation. It killed him not to respond. By the time Billy had materialized in front of him, she was crying outright and the sound brought back every old instinct he'd ever had regarding her, and he would have swept her into his arms, but Billy beat him to it. Tommy watched as the original pink and blue rangers clung to each other and wept.

XXX

Some time later, Kim, Tommy, and Billy were piled into Tommy's jeep headed for Angel Grove and the Kwans. Tommy was listening as Kim and Billy caught up, throwing in his own two cents when he was so inclined.

"Cestria must really be something," Kim was saying with a bit of a smile. "To get a hydrophob to move to a aquatic planet."

Billy smiled back. "She is. But I like to think I conquered my fear of water and fish long ago."

"We all conquered fears when we were Rangers, didn't we?" Kim mused. Her smile turned sad. "I'll never forget the day Trini made it to the top of the rope."

"Nor the time when she fought that fear of heights to rescue me," Billy added quietly.

Tommy considered mentioning the time when Trini had been solely responsible for saving Kimberly from the Bloom of Doom; her accuracy with her Power Daggers had brought Kim back from the Dark Dimension and broken the jealousy spell on her. But, then, when he realized that his memories of Trini were bonded to memories of Kim, he remained silent, lost in his own thoughts and attempting to quell a pathetic swell of jealousy.

Kim's voice and the image, however platonic, of her wrapped in Billy's arms and crying into his neck was permanently etched in Tommy's mind.

When they reached the Kwan home, Tommy barely had time to open his car door before Zack exploded from the front door and came running to the three of them. Kim was hardly able to climb out of the jeep before Zack engulfed her in a bear hug. Jason was right behind him, and when he saw Billy, the two men eagerly clasped hands then hugged. Tommy felt a bit out of place for a moment when the four were greeting each other, remembering that he hadn't been one of the original five. But that feeling was immediately shaken when Jason slapped his back and Zack gripped his hand in a tight handshake. Everyone was talking at once before silence slowly overcame them, and they were standing quietly in a circle. Kim was standing between Tommy and Jason.

"We should have gotten together before now," she whispered. "So Trini could have been here."

They all nodded solemnly; Jason reached over to squeeze Kim's hand, glancing over to the door where Trini's parents were watching.

"The Kwans are expecting us to reveal Trini's past identity; I wanted to get everyone's input before Tommy and I make a decision."

Tommy's head snapped up, and he met Jason's eyes. Jason smiled slightly.

Billy spoke up first. "I have no objection to revealing Trini's identity, but obviously, her family will want to know more. Where can we draw the line? I personally don't wish to explain about Cestria and all the circumstances that led me to Aquitar."

Zack nodded. "I understand where Billy's coming from. If we tell them, yes, Trini was a Power Ranger, they'll want to know everything about it. But we can't reveal our own identities, because we can't put ourselves and our families in danger. I say we let her family draw their own conclusions and swear them to secrecy about Trini's identity."

Kim frowned. "It's true that former rangers are targets for new enemies; Jason and I know all about that. But once Trini's family knows that she was a Power Ranger, they might want the world to know. Just knowing that your child once defended the planet has got to make you proud enough to burst. It's a hard secret to ask them to keep. Besides, we swore to Zordon, always to keep our identities secret."

Jason paused for a moment, then mused, "But we also took that vow knowing that being a Ranger would always be a risk, even after we resigned the power. Zack and I can't morph any more, but we're hardly defenseless. And the three of you, from what I understand, will always be Ninjetti. The Power joins and protects every ranger; I think we can handle the risk of Trini's family knowing."

Tommy shook his head. "We can handle the risk, but can our loved ones? Billy has a wife, Jason has Emily, we all have family. We can't make them targets too. I say that we confirm that Trini was a Ranger, but neither confirm nor deny that we were. They can draw their own conclusions, like Zack said. It's not impossible that she was a Ranger and we weren't. But should the Kwans ever be forced to tell, they wouldn't know for sure. And we won't betray our vow to Zordon."

Jason nodded, conceding, especially when his fiance Emily was mentioned. "Are we all in agreement?" he asked, taking charge again. He waited for everyone to nod. "Okay then. Then let's go in."

At dinner, Tommy placed himself next to Kimberly, who sat directly beside Trini's mother. He felt Jason watching him throughout the meal and knew he was in for an interrogation; after all, Kim might as well be Jason's little sister.

The discussion around the table revolved mostly around Trini-- they shared stories, memories, focusing on all the good she'd done and everything she'd accomplished. Trini's mother mentioned that Trini's boyfriend, Craig, would be at the visitation the next day. The conversation stayed on Trini and occasionally drifted to the present lives of the five present throughout the meal. But when they were done eating and conversation dwindled, Jason took this as his cue.

"Mr. and Mrs. Kwan... Trini's gone, but there's something you should know about her." He took a deep breath. "We know that at one time, Trini was a Power Ranger."

Trini's parents seemed stunned by the words being said aloud, but not very surprised. Mr. Kwan smiled slightly. "We... we always had our suspicions. She was always disappearing at all hours... and when we saw footage of the Rangers on TV... we recognized her style in the Yellow Ranger."

Mrs. Kwan turned her focus on to Kimberly. "How can you be sure?" she asked, very quietly. "Unless..."

Kim interrupted, taking Mrs. Kwan's hand. "Unless we were the closest of friends. We were, Mrs. Kwan. We had no secrets."

"But..."

Jason anticipated her next question. "She didn't tell you because she couldn't risk your safety."

Mr. Kwan sighed, and Mrs. Kwan studied her plate, apparently resigned that the Rangers would not admit to anything else. Kimberly squeezed Mrs. Kwan's hand, and turned so that she faced both of Trini's parents.

"Mr. and Mrs. Kwan... I know how proud you must be of Trini, to know that she helped defend our city, our whole planet against evil. But you must never tell anyone that she was a Power Ranger or you yourselves might be put in danger. You must promise _never_ to tell _anyone_."

The older couple looked at each other, then back to Kimberly. Mrs. Kwan had tears running down her face and Kim's eyes were misting as well. Tommy bit his lip and put a hand on Kim's shoulder as they waited.

"We promise."

The subject was closed.

After the five former rangers said goodnight to Mr. and Mrs. Kwan and promised to be at the visitation the next evening, they stood outside for a moment, hovering between Jason's red pick-up, Zack's black SUV, and Tommy's white jeep.

"What now?" Zack wondered, leaning against Tommy's jeep. Billy stood to the side with his arms crossed, Kim leaned against Jason whose arm was firmly around her shoulders, and Tommy hovered close to them, watching Kimberly's face.

"Why don't you all come stay with me for a few days?" Jason offered. "I'm the only one that lives in town; it'll make everything easier, right? Kim, you can have the guest room, and you guys can crash in the living room, if that's cool. What do you say?"

Billy cracked a small smile. "I have little choice, but I'm very grateful for the offer."

"Yeah, thanks a lot, man," Zack enthused. "I feel like we should stick together these next few days."

"Definitely," Tommy agreed. He held out his hand for Jason to take; Jason removed the arm he had around Kim's shoulders to clasp Tommy's hand. Soon all four guys were looking to Kimberly. She seemed lost in thought.

"Kim? You okay?" Zack asked quietly, touching her arm. Kim blinked, gave a weak smile.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Morphenomenal. Let's go." She didn't realize every guy waited to see which vehicle she chose; when she took her spot on the passenger side of Tommy's jeep, Tommy clicked the unlock button his key chain so she could get in and have a seat. When she shut the door, he turned back to the guys.

"Tommy? Care to explain?" Jason asked. The moonlight cast an eerie shadow across the original ranger leader's face. Billy and Zack also leaned forward, curious.

"Kim called me in the middle of the night last night and told me about Trini. She said I was the first one she called. We talked, and I couldn't stand that she was alone, so I flew to Atlanta to meet her plane and we flew back to Angel Grove together. We... talked."

"And?" Zack pushed.

"We talked about the letter; she told me why she sent it." Here, Tommy favored Jason with an intense stare. Jason nodded, understanding. "There wasn't another guy. But the farthest we got in our discussion was admitting we were both single."

"So what was her reasoning behind the missive?" Billy wondered.

Tommy glanced back at his jeep. Kim was already asleep in the front seat. "I think it's her story to tell." A glance at Jason revealed his approval of the answer. The four men were quiet for a moment.

"Okay, then," Zack ventured. "Billy, why don't you ride with me? We can follow Jason back to his place."

"Good idea."

"See you guys there!" Jason called, jogging over to his truck.

Tommy shook his head, amused, as he walked back to his jeep and climbed in. Though he tried to shut the door gently, the sound woke Kimberly. She stretched, and attempted to wake herself up.

"Stupid jet lag."

Tommy smiled. "It's okay, Kim," he murmured. "Go back to sleep and get what rest you can."

She closed her eyes, smiling, slightly delirious in her exhaustion. "Trini would laugh if she knew I was spending the night with you, Tommy."

Tommy's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

She was asleep.

When he pulled up to Jason's house a few minutes later, it was closing in on midnight, and the jet lag was really starting to get to Tommy. Nevertheless, he walked around to Kimberly's side of the car, released her seatbelt, and gathered her into his arms.

Jason saw him coming and jogged up to open the door. Normally, Tommy knew, the guys would definitely rag on him about carrying her to bed, but not today. Jason went as far to smile, but that was it.

"Guest room is up the stairs, first door to your right."

Tommy found the room easily, and almost laughed when he noticed it was decorated primarily in red and gold. The colors really did stick with a ranger; he was loathe to admit his own bedroom was primarily white with hints of green and the tiniest bits of red. Black had come later, so he hadn't added much of it.

He kicked the covers back on the bed with his foot, and laid Kim gently into the bed. Images of her on a rotating table with the life being sucked out of her, then of him staggering to the ground with her in his arms, laying her on the grass flashed through his mind, and he grimaced, forcing the memories back.

He made sure her head was resting on the pillow, slipped off her sandals, and pulled the covers up to her shoulders. She sighed haggardly and curled onto her side, pulling the blanket to her chin. Tommy felt his throat close, and hastily kissed her hair before fleeing the room.

He was hardly sure how he made it down the stairs without stumbling.

When he got there, Zack tossed him a beer, which he gladly accepted.

"How is she, Tommy?" Jason asked, looking up. He was lounging on the floor with a throw pillow, Zack was stretched out in the recliner, and Billy was sitting on the corner of a red sofa. The former blue ranger was the only one not nursing a beer. Tommy dropped down beside Billy and buried his head in his hands.

"She's exhausted, didn't wake up for a second. But Jase, I'd keep your door open. She'll probably wake up in the middle of the night crying."

Jason nodded grimly. "Kim and Trini were like sisters; she's trying to hard to be strong, bottling everything up-- we have to make sure she gets everything out sooner or later."

The four men were quiet for a moment before Zack blurted out. "It just isn't right, damn it! Trini lived through God knows how many battles-- to get taken down by some drunk... it's not right. Where was the Power when the car was coming at her, huh?"

Billy looked utterly miserable. "It seems illogical, doesn't it? That Trini could cheat death so many times as a Ranger but fall victim as a civilian... to another civilian. It reminds us that no matter how invincible we feel... we are still human."

Jason let the silence ruminate for a while, shifting into a more comfortable position on the floor. Then, he glanced up at Tommy.

"So... what do you think will happen with you and Kim?"

Tommy lifted his head, and his bleary eyes found Jason's. "I don't know. It's too much; I can't even think right now. Trini's gone and on top of that, Kim's back in my life. I mean, I know everyone gave her a bad name for writing that letter... but you know, I didn't go after her. I didn't call. I gave up on her. It's not all her fault. If I hadn't pansied out, the past ten years would have been totally different. I mean..." he paused for a minute, getting choked up. When he'd swallowed the lump in his throat, he continued.

"We might have been married by now. God knows I thought about it all the time, even after we broke up. But now... now's not the time. We lost a Ranger; we lost a friend. To even... mention... _anything_... it would just be wrong."

Billy nodded. "A wise decision, Tommy. You're both emotionally vulnerable right now; you have to wait and see what can be made of your relationship after you grieve."

"Right," Jason agreed, solemnly. Behind that one word, Tommy sensed another message.

_If you hurt her, you're dead._

"Don't worry, Jase," Zack said. "Tommy knows."

"All right," he said, standing. "I'm bushed, and I know Tommy's about to fall asleep from jet lag. Guys, make yourselves at home. There's blankets in that closet, and a pretty good sleeping bag somewhere on the top shelf in there. I'll see you guys in the morning."

With that, Jason stumbled up the stairs.

Tommy snagged the sleeping bag from the closet and tucked himself in it. He turned over, looking at the other two men.

"Zack, it's good to have you back, man. Billy, same for you. I wish it was for better reasons."

The other guys murmured their agreement, then Zack hit the lights, and they each lied still for many dragging moments before sleep took them, one-by-one.

XXX

Jason Scott knew better than to ignore advice about Kimberly from the only man who might know more about her than he. Before he yanked his shirt over his head and collapsed onto his bed, heedless of the comforter or pillow, Jason made certain that his door was open and that the pathway from his threshold to Kim's room was clear.

It felt like only moments passed from the moment he was lying on his side, staring blanking and thinking of Trini, to the instant the back-arching sound of a scream tore into his ear drum.

He caught sight of his glowing red LED clock as he scrambled out of bed: amazing. Two hours had passed. Jason's sheets were coiled around his ankle; he stumbled a bit in his lunge for the door, losing precious seconds.

After a gasp, another long scream pierced the air.

Just as he burst from his room, Jason heard pounding footsteps. Tommy Oliver was barreling up the stairs at full speed, white-faced.

Even still, Jason didn't slow his pace. The two men ran into Kim's room together. Jason stopped a step earlier, so Tommy seized Kim's upper arms and shook her, calling, "Kim! Wake up, you're dreaming!"

Jason, too: "Kim, we're here!"

She blinked, drew back from them at first, but Tommy's grip was unyielding. Streaks of white ran through her skin beneath his hands. She recognized Tommy, then Jason, breathed, then heaved forward and buried her face into Tommy's chest, crying quietly. Tommy's arms immediately went around her, and Jason wondered if the two even realized 10 years had passed.

XXX

With the next morning came a newspaper tossed at Jason's front door; it bore Trini's obituary. At first, no one wanted to read it. But when Kim came down, hair disheveled and eyes puffy, she quietly asked for the newspaper, took it to a corner, and thumbed through it for a moment before finding the right page. The guys watched her while Zack attempted to cook something that might have been eggs and bacon at one time.

Kim's expression remained morose as she read. Her eyes widened slightly when she reached the end. She was tearing up and passed it to Tommy, who was always close by.

Even Tommy's eyes misted as passed the paper to Jason. Jason took a deep breath, glanced briefly at the photo of Trini, dressed in a pale gi and holding a trophy, happily posing with her boyfriend. He couldn't bear it, and moved on to the text.

_A tragic car accident claimed the life of 27 year old Trini Kwan Thursday September 6, in Sacremento, California. A drunk driver crossed the double yellow and hit Kwan head-on; medical authorities say she died instantly._

_Trini was graduate of Cambridge University with a degree in engineering. She was working as an Environment Protection officer with a firm in Sacramento. She remained diligent in her studies of kung fu throughout her life. She leaves behind her parents, Kenji and Soo Kwan, and fiance, Craig McAlister. _

_Trini Kwan was a devoted daughter, caring girlfriend, brilliant mind, and selfless friend. The good she did during her lifetime bettered lives all over the world, but most may never be known to more than a few. She will be missed forever._

_Visitation will be Friday evening at 7. Graveside services and internment will be at 9 am Saturday at Angel Grove Community Funeral Home._

"I told you," Kimberly whispered. "It's a hard secret to keep."

"They're doing it, though," Jason murmured back. He was unconsciously tearing the paper in his tight grip.

Silence reigned until Zack mumbled an offering of breakfast. No one was very hungry.

X

Later in the morning, Kim seemed to realize that she hadn't called her mother. She retreated back to Jason's guest room to make the call.

When she was gone, Tommy explained to the other guys that Kim hadn't brought any clothes or toiletries with her.

"I was going to offer to take her shopping, get some essentials. Does anyone else need anything? Billy?"

"Thank you, but I believe that since I'm in town," he chuckled slightly at this, "that I'll go visit my family. I'm sure some of my clothing remains there."

"Where does your dad think you've been all this time?" Zack wondered. "Obviously, he couldn't have known about the aging spell and Cestria and Aquitar."

"I told my father and the rest of the family I was going to Greenland to do independent research. On Aquitar, I have the advanced technology to occasionally arrange audio transmissions to Earth."

"Phone calls?" Jason clarified. He was taken away for a moment to the times when Trini would translate for Billy and his eyes darkened with emotion.

"Affirmative." Billy realized it, too. His voice softened. "Hence, they are not suspicious. Even though my life was in danger and my departure for Aquitar was sudden and without warning, I didn't betray my identity to my father. I couldn't bring myself too. But then, he, like the Kwans, may have had his own suspicions since he seldom asks questions."

"You make the right choice, Billy," Jason commended quietly, giving his friend's shoulder a squeeze.

Tommy was losing focus on their conversation. He sat a distance away, hunched over on the couch while the others chatted in the kitchen. He was very aware of Kim's absence from the room. After 10 years of no contact combined with this sudden reunion made him very reluctant to spend any time at all without her. In fact, before he realized what he was doing he was halfway up the stairs.

Jason watched his blood brother retreat intently.

"It's okay, Jase. Let him go."

"I don't know, Zack," Jason responded, not looking at him. "Now's a crappy time to be rekindling the flame, don't you think? I don't want either of them to get hurt. I have to watch it happen to both of them and try to pick up the pieces."

"Jason, they're already hurt."

Both men turned to look at the former blue ranger.

"Trini's dead. It's only natural that those two would reach out to each other after such a tragedy. Years mean nothing. We can't stop it; we can't predict how it will end. We can only watch. And pray. And grieve beside them."

X

"Kim?"

Kimberly's head snapped up at the soft call and knock on her door. She'd hung up with her mother long ago. She jumped to the bureau, tried frantically to rid the signs of tears from her face before calling, "Come in."

Tommy opened the door slowly and stood in the doorway, tall and silent. Quiet stretched between them before she pointed to the chair in the corner of her room while she seated herself at the edge of her bed.

"Trini's visitation is tonight," Tommy stated. "I thought you might need to pick up some things? The two of us could get out for a few hours. I'll take you wherever you need to go."

Kim held his gaze for a moment, gaging the importance of his question. Was there some kind of line she was crossing in going off alone with him when the others were here? Should they spend much time apart from from the other guys, shouldn't the five stay together? She hadn't seen Billy and Zack for as long as she hadn't seen Tommy. Was he volunteering more than his Jeep?

"We shouldn't stay away long," she answered.

X

They left a few minutes later. Jason's eyes followed the car until it was out of side. He stood on his porch alone. He left Zack and Billy in deep conversation, excusing himself with the intention of calling Emily. She knew about Trini, knew how close the high school group of friends had been. She was giving him time.

Instead, his cell was in his pocket. Images, sounds, sloppily buried in the corner of his mind resurfaced. He heard Tommy's voice on the phone, inches from tears when he'd gotten the break-up letter. He saw Kim's shuddering shoulders, saw the terror in her eyes when Tommy came at her as the evil green ranger. He could hear her scream. He could see the rare, striking fear in Tommy's eyes when she screamed. He could feel Kim's shaking hand in his own as she sobbed out the story of the letter and her injury, saw the hardness in Tommy's eyes that hadn't been there before.

His own view of love had been jilted when Kim and Tommy had broken up. If they couldn't make it, who could? Sure, Kim was injured, depressed, and not thinking straight. Tommy was stunned and hurt, and Kat was not always subtle in her pursuit of him, but Jason still thought Tommy had little reason to take Kim at her word and not protest. But he could only chalk it up to this: Tommy thought she was happy. Kim didn't explain later because she thought he was happy.

But really, they were both miserable. Now, they're even more miserable. Could it be fixed? Would they just end up heartbroken again?

Jason started to dial Emily's number.

"Trini... I hope you know what you're doing."

X

"Are you going to tell the other guys? About your back?"

Kim dropped the black skirt she'd just selected, startled. He picked it up for her. The two were walking very slowly around a Target while Kim made few modest selections. A black dress for the funeral, black skirt and dark top for visitation, a few casual outfits and other necessities.

"I don't know," she stuttered, turning her attention hastily back to the clothes rack. "It's not a part of my life that I'm proud of. They'll all be hurt that I didn't trust them with it, they'll feel sorry for me and worry all the time..."

"They love you, Kim. They don't understand what happened to us. It will help. They'll support you."

"I know..." she whispered. _Just like you do. _"But..."

"Kim."

She sighed, and stepped away from the clothes rack, dropping her clothes in the cart and walking away. He followed her, noting for the first times the rigidness of her posture and her careful steps. She'd never walked looking at the ground before. Her injury had her living in fear, and he wasn't sure if he could pull her out on his own.

She stopped and met his eyes. "Okay."

XXX

When Tommy and Kimberly returned, they found a note from Billy.

_Tommy and Kim,_

_I've gone to visit my father. Zack also went to see his family. Jason is spending the rest of the time before the visitation with Emily. We planned to meet up for dinner at 6 at the Italian place across from the Juice Bar. Rocky and the others will all be in town for the funeral tomorrow. See you at 6._

_Billy_

They were alone in the house.

"It's already 5:15," Kim noted softly.

He glanced at her; his throat was dry. After a few moments under his intense gaze, she turned away. "I'm going to go get ready."

The grief had returned to her voice, and Trini's face came rushing back to Tommy's mind. He shook his head, furious at the turn his thoughts had taken. The air of sadness hung over them once again.

"Me too. Be ready in 30?"

"Yeah."

Tommy kept his shower cold.

X

An hour later, the five that remained from the original ranger team were gathered around a table. Kim found herself inside corner next to Tommy. Billy sat across from her next to Zack, and Jason sat in a chair at the head of the table. There was minimal eating and even more minimal talking. Kim bit her lip and dabbed her eyes with the cloth napkin every now and again. Trini's absence was painful.

Jason spoke.

"We can do this, guys. It's going to hurt; it's going to take years. But we have to get through this. Trini would... want us to keep living." He paused for a second, breathing slowly and deliberately. "But I think she'd want us to stay closer than we did before... now."

Kim took a deep breath. "And with that... we should have no secrets. So, I think I owe you guys an explanation. I was going to wait until Aisha and the others came tomorrow so I wouldn't have to tell the story twice, but I want to get it out now."

Jason's supportive smile and Tommy's hand on her elbow gave her the strength to look at Billy and Zack in the face. "I'm sure you both heard about a, uh, letter. That I wrote. Well, I feel like I owe an explanation to everyone."

x

Food got cold, tears were shed, and burdens lifted. Though she knew she would be telling the story again to Rocky, Adam, Aisha, and Kat—some of whom had actually been present when the letter came. She imagined that Kat especially would want an explanation, and she dreaded the conversation, but for now, tonight, she was okay.

And though Tommy and Kim didn't know it, Jason and Zack and Billy felt a little bit healed when they realized that the break-up between the strongest leader and the kindest heart of the power rangers could be blamed on outside sources. Each man noticed when Tommy held her hand as they walked toward the funeral home. They saw his grip tighten when her shoulders began to shake, watched him stick close to her as they went through the line of Trini's family members, saw him bite his lip when she threw her arms around Mrs. Kwan. And each man had a lump in his throat when Tommy finally crushed Kim to his chest when she lost her fragile composure when they walked past Trini's closed coffin. Tommy's own tears couldn't be lost on them, nor the way Kim's fingers curled into his shirt.

Trini's death was tragedy enough for Jason, Billy, and Zack, but on top of that pain went the agony of watching two lonely people struggle back to each other long after their idyllic love had been allowed to fade.

XXX

_One final chapter remains._

_rosa_


	3. Part 3

Yellow Roses

_Writing this short story has been a bittersweet experience; I both mourn and relish that it is nearly done. Thank you to those of you who are reading; another thanks to those who take the time to review. Your comments are appreciated._

_As much as I enjoy the other rangers that followed the original six-- Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Tanya, Justin, Kat—this story is not their story. In this chapter, Tanya may have a short appearance due to her connection to Adam and as a fellow Yellow ranger, but Justin is likely not to appear more than a brief mention. Rocky, Adam, and Aisha knew Trini, thus they have been involved from the start, particularly Aisha as Trini's successor. Kat is close to Tommy, so she's been involved as well. But like I said, this story is not their story, or a story for any Ranger other generation. This story is about the pain and reunion of the original six, particularly, Tommy and Kimberly. Thank you all for understanding._

_That said, now closes the story of _Yellow Roses._ Thuy Trang, rest in peace. And a pox on Saban and their writers for their creation of the Dear John letter plot twist that jilted many children and their views on love. I prefer to think optimistically, thank you._

**Part 3**

Jason's dreams were dreary, regretful, and tinged with yellow. When he rolled over at six am by force of habit and inability to sleep, his second thought was of Kimberly. His heart broke for her last night, and the former Red Ranger's heart was already wounded by Trini's loss. He didn't think he could bear much more than the death of a friend that was closer than a sister, but watching Kim endure it and watching Tommy struggle to support himself in addition to Kimberly was nearly as traumatizing. There wasn't a dry eye in the room when Kimberly's composure crumbled beside Trini's coffin, and she started to softly weep. Tommy had roughly turned her away from the coffin and crushed her into his chest and slowly led her from the room, openly crying himself.

Their tears, though, weren't only for Trini, he imagined; they also wept for themselves.

These dismal thoughts drove Jason to quickly yank a shirt over his head and make his way to Kimberly's room. Even though he knew she was a morning person, he was loathe to wake her at this hour; however, the compulsion just to see her was too strong to ignore. He eased the door open silently and looked in. The sight that met him was briefly disturbing.

Kim's bed was empty, neatly made. However, Tommy Oliver was sound asleep in the chair in the corner of the room.

Swallowing his unreasonable panic, Jason visually swept the room for a note or a clue. He found nothing. Resigned, he reached over and carefully woke the former white ranger.

"Tommy."

Tommy jerked awake and nearly swung at Jason in a pure defensive reflex. Expecting it, Jason easily dodged, hands raised.

"Jase?"

Jason's eyes darted to the bed. "Kim is gone."

Concern, worry, urgency—these emotions Jason expected. But the pure panic that immediately drained the color from his friend's face surprised even him. Tommy jumped from his chair and moved to sprint from the room, but Jason seized his arms with an unwavering grip that even Tommy couldn't easily escape.

"Take it easy, bro. For all we know, she's downstairs getting cereal."

Tommy forced himself to breathe, but his eyes didn't calm. "I'll find her," he said, and fled the room.

Jason watched his friend strode quickly down the stairs. He himself checked the restrooms on the second floor first, just in case, but like he expected, there was no sign of Kim. He took the stairs two at a time in pursuit of Tommy.

In the living room, Zack was groggily stirring in the recliner, hearing the commotion. Billy looked wide awake, pacing slowly as he held a cell phone to his ear. Billy jerked his head towards the kitchen, and Jason took the hint.

In the kitchen, Tommy sat, staring intently at a scrap of paper. When he heard Jason's entrance, he reluctantly passed him the note.

_Guys,_

_I woke up at 4:45 and couldn't sleep anymore. I went for a run, and when I got back you were all still sleeping. I showered, and made breakfast for you all. I hope French toast is fine microwaved. I need some time to be alone and remember Trini. Jase, I hope you don't mind, I kind of borrowed your car. I'll be back before 8. I'm fine, there's no need to send out the search party. Thank you, guys, for being with me last night. We'll get through this as a family._

_Kim_

Jason frowned. No mention of where she was going or her intentions. But her optimism at the end was a poignant reminder of the smiling girl she'd been in high school. Jason's heart warmed with the hope that she wasn't completely gone. He was content to let her be alone for a while and wait for her return.

Tommy, however, felt otherwise. He snatched his keys off the kitchen counter and began walking through the living room towards the front door. Jason followed.

"Tommy!"

He didn't stop or turn, but slowed his pace slightly. Zack watched intently and Billy had dropped his phone on the couch. In answer to Jason's silent question, Billy shook his head no, then turned his eyes to Tommy.

"I'm going after her. She shouldn't be alone right now. None of us should!"

"She wants to be alone," Jason reminded him, wondering whose side he should take even as the words left his mouth.

Tommy was at the door. He jerked it open and turned to face the other three men. "She's been alone for too long, Jase. I can't let her do it."

"She said not to come after her. She said she was fine."

Tommy's eyes hardened with determination.

"She said that in her last letter to me, Jase, and I listened. And we both paid for it for ten years. Hell, our whole team paid for it. I can't make that mistake again. I can't take it."

X

It was 6:30 in the morning, but Kim had lived in Angel Grove for most of her life. She knew which stores opened early. So when she pulled Jason's truck into the parking lot of Ann's Flower Shop, she knew her old friend would be there opening. Still, she didn't officially open until 7, so Kimberly felt obligated to knock on the door, painted a bright green.

Ann opened the door slowly, peeking out, then yanked the door open when she saw who it was. "Kimberly Hart! Come on in, girl, what are you doing in town? Putting in a wedding order, I hope!"

Kim's smile faltered a bit, but she held on. Obviously, the woman didn't notice the flowing black dress clinging to Kim's pale frame. "I'm surprised you remember me. It's been so long," she hedged, following Ann in to the shop.

"Are you kidding? When you were in high school, you were my best customer, always coming in to get plants for your garden and flowers for your mom and gifts for that beau of yours. And when you started that botany club, I got a host of new customers!" The portly woman was grinning ear to ear; the wrinkles around her eyes pinched with her laugh. "I watched for you in the Olympics but never saw you there, but I heard you were coaching. That's just like you Kim, always thinking of others."

Kim swallowed. She couldn't bear to break any of the sad news on Ann-- she was a sweet old woman and so happy. So, she avoided all the questions, tried her best for a smile, and said, "I knew you were the right for this job, Ann," she managed. "I need 2 dozen of your finest yellow roses."

XXX

Tommy had no clue where Kim would go. In the movies or the books, the girl went missing and the guy knew in his gut where she would run. He was envious of that non-reality, felt a bit inferior because of it. But Tommy was at a loss; in high school, he might have been able to predict where she go. But then, in high school, she wouldn't have retreated into herself like this. She was all about people. 10 years had passed, and she'd changed. He'd changed.

He tried to reason it out. She would want to feel close to Trini. Where was somewhere they spent time together? The Juice Bar wouldn't be open yet. Angel Grove High... but probably not. Maybe the park.

Tommy winced, instinctively hitting the breaks.

He had spent more time with Kimberly at the park than Trini. That was his own wishful thinking. Nonetheless, he took the right at the next intersection with the intention of checking the park anyway. After all, though the park was the site of many battles, it was also where the six of them would retreat to relax and try to be normal teenagers enjoying life. Many good memories were there.

XXX

Kim turned onto a back road, towards the mountainous terrain of the desert. The roses were in a vase, balanced carefully on the front seat of Jason's truck. Kim kept one hand on the vase to keep it steady as she drove. When the road ended, she parked. Under the passenger seat, she'd hidden the tennis shoes she bought at Target with Tommy. She knotted her dress above her knees, getting it out of the way, then tied on the tennis shoes. Finally, she reached over and plucked two of the roses from the vase before she climbed from the truck, slipped Jason's keys into her purse, and locked up the car.

She looked up the rock face, sighed heavily, and began the trek. She only had an hour before she was due back at Jason's. The boys would worry.

XXX

Tommy saw that the corner of the park by the lake was empty, but he couldn't help but slip his Jeep into park and linger for a moment. The memories that overwhelmed him were generally happy, but left a bittersweet taste in his mouth. He remembered coming here on dates with Kimberly. He remembered that she'd sought him out here when he'd lost his green powers. He remembered battles, laughs, long walks. He remembered coming here after he'd received her letter.

Trini was here, too. This place was filled with her; he closed her eyes and he could see her practicing a Kata, chatting with Billy, playing basketball with Jason and Zack, whispering and laughing with Kim, letting loose on putties next to him. He realized that his connection to Trini, unlike the others, was through being a Ranger. The others grew up with her, were lifelong friends. And it was a bond that could never break. Friendships grow lukewarm; passion fades; other connections dissolve. But once a Ranger, always a Ranger.

Instantly, Tommy knew where Kim would go. He re-cranked his jeep and floored the gas pedal; Kim wouldn't be prepared for the sight that would greet her.

XXX

Kimberly let her mind wander as she hiked. She'd only had to make this trip a handful of times and she hadn't done it in over ten years, but she remembered the path like it was yesterday. Each step was sure, and had to be-- a fall on the rock face was incredibly dangerous on her fragile back. But her grief was distraction enough; instead of thinking of her injury, Kim thought of Trini. The tears had already started before she reached her destination, but when she arrived, the vision of horror stole even the sobs from her throat.

XXX

Tommy's jeep screeched to a halt beside Jason's red pick-up. A quick glance inside the truck told him that his suspicions were correct. Kim's black dress shoes were sitting on the driver's seat next to her cell phone. That she'd left her phone terrified Tommy and fear for the longest serving ranger of all time translated into anger. In the passenger seat, he noticed a vase full of yellow roses.

Tommy took a deep breath and ran towards the mountainside, trekking up as fast as he safely could. When he reached the ruins of the Command Center, he saw her, standing with her back to him, stunned by the the remains of her second home.

Any other time, she might have looked ridiculous. She was wearing a long, flowing black dress that was tied up above her knees and tennis shoes. Her hair was sloppily pulled up into a ponytail, revealing pink earrings. She had a limp hold on two yellow roses; both hands were uselessly at her sides. But Tommy thought she was a vision of tragic beauty; his throat closed.

Her shoulders trembled. She was crying.

Tommy felt his heart breaking. Here, the new agony was tripled by the overwhelming reminder of an old one. Zordon's sacrificial death, so poorly hidden in the back of his mind, now returned with staggering force.

Tommy took a step towards Kimberly; gravel crunched under his feet.

Startled, Kim dropped her flowers, and whirled into a fighting stance at blinding speed, terror in bloodshot eyes. She didn't comprehend his identity at first.

"It's me, Kim," he whispered, hands raised.

Her posture relaxed, and she sagged to the ground, sitting on a stray pile of debris and letting face fall into her hands. His arms were around her immediately. She seemed too stunned to weep, and the image of her in a defensive stance sent dormant memories reeling.

"Oh, Kim. Why did you come alone? Why do this to yourself?"

She was trembling in his arms. "I always felt invincible here. Even after I lost my Power Coin and started losing my powers, I felt strong here, unstoppable. Like I could do anything. How else could I muster the courage to try and rescue Kat even when I could barely stand? This place helped me forget my mortality; I figured it could help me deal with Trini's. She was never defeated here." She pulled her face away from Tommy's chest, letting her eyes slowly take in the destruction.

"Jason told me... but I didn't expect..." She swallowed. "We were a family here; this place held us together. Now it's gone. Zordon's gone. Trini's gone."

She didn't turn to face him, but even without her haunted gaze on him, Tommy's mouth went dry. This was the most vulnerable she'd been since that last walk on the beach. He prayed for words.

"They're not gone, Kim. Sure, this place, this building, fell. Trini and Zordon, physically, are gone. But Zordon's legacy is eternal. And Trini can never fade away as long as her words, actions, her sacrifices--" he touched her forehead, "--and here." He touched her chest. "As long as we remember and love her, and Zordon, they can never die."

Birds sang in the distance; a cool breeze rustled gravel down the rock face. The sun was rising behind the mountainside, casting a pink glow over the ruins of the Command Center. Kim pulled her gaze away from the scene, and met Tommy's eyes. Slowly, a smile spread across her lips, cheeks, even to her eyes. She leaned in closer, rested her head on his shoulder. He draped an arm over her and pulled her close.

X

At Jason's house, the time inched closer and closer to 8 am. Jason's last glance at the clock had told him it was 7:38. The funeral was at 9 am; Tommy had left in street clothes, and God knew if Kimberly was dressed for the funeral yet. She'd planned to return by 8; it wasn't happening. Adam had called-- he, Tanya, Rocky, Aisha, and Kat were together at Adam's house and wanted to meet up and be together as a collective team. Even though Tanya and Kat had never met Trini in person, they felt the blow nearly as deeply as if they had, he imagined. The death of a Ranger would bring anyone to their knees. They'd suggested breakfast, but Jason turned it down, knowing it wouldn't be enough time. And the original five—they had to say goodbye together. But Kim and Tommy had been gone for over an hour with no sign of returning soon.

Yes, he was pacing.

Zack looked sharp in his suit; the ironic, almost comical pattern that had developed was less noticeable on him, as traditional mourning clothes were black. Billy had chosen a black shirt and slacks, but his bow tie was deep blue. Jason also, couldn't overcome the urge to wear red, but his crimson shirt was down played by the dull gray of his jacket and pants.

Zack lounged in the old recliner, staring blankly ahead; his unfocused eyes told Jason his thoughts were years in the past. Billy stood, like a sentry, at the window by the front door. He'd been silent all morning, but now, he turned around to face Jason and Zack. The resolve in his eyes seemed to hide the deep sorrow there.

"Let's go after them," he said. "We need to be together."

"I'm with you, Billy," Zack said, standing, "but we have no idea where Kimberly would have gone or if Tommy found her."

"He found her." Billy sounded confident.

"Do you know where they went?" Jason asked, stepping forward.

"I know where I'd go, and I think Kim would do the same. Grab Tommy's suit, and we'll pursue them."

XXX

"Why yellow, Kim?" Tommy finally murmured, after the comfort in their silence had faded. "Just because it was her color?"

She let a finger trace the line of one of the stems in her hand, up to the bloom where she gently played with the petals. "That was part of it," she said, adjusting her position in his arms. "Yellow is a fitting color for Trini: warm, friendly, calm. Yellow roses have been a symbol for friendship and platonic love for years. But they are also flowers of sympathy, encouragement, even mourning. Yellow ribbons and flowers are also commonly given to families of soldiers. I thought... I thought these flowers were the best to give to Trini and Zordon."

He pulled her close, taking in her every word and planning his next move towards her even as he murmured, "They fit."

"Tommy..." Her voice was suddenly choked with tears; startled, he turned so he could face her, cupping her cheek with his hand. His eyes asked a question.

"Would we have ever seen each other again, if Trini was still alive?"

Her question cut to the quick of his heart; it was something he'd been wondering, too.

"I don't know, Kim. We were both lonely, but so cowardly, so convinced that the other was better off. We would have seen each other at Adam and Tanya's wedding..."

"But on speaking terms? Honest and comfortable with each other again?"

His heart was breaking. It was a twisted, twisted truth. Were they so selfishly involved with their own lives, so scared of making the first move, so bitter in their loneliness, that it took the death of a cherished friend to bring them together?

Or was it grace, a miracle, that something fragile and terrifying and so beautiful as the hope of renewed friendship, even future love, could rise from the ashes of tragedy?

"I don't know, Kim," he whispered haggardly. "But we're here now, together. That's what matters."

She curled into his embrace. A long pause stretched before her next words, words that Tommy Oliver would never forget.

"I need you, Tommy."

Tommy stared into her eyes, trying to comprehend her words. Not I want you or I've missed you or I love you... I _need_ you. She held his gaze until he took her face in his hands. He tipped her chin so she would look him in the eyes.

"You'll always have me, Kim."

She shut her eyes, smiled softly. He pulled her closer.

A moment later, gravel crunched behind them. Tommy and Kim both whirled into defensive stances; Tommy had stepped halfway in front of Kimberly instinctively.

"Easy, you two," Zack called. "It's just us."

Kim and Tommy relaxed. The three men hurried over to the former pink and white rangers. Billy opened his arms and Kim let him pull her to his chest, relishing the arms of her childhood friend. Jason reached for Tommy's hand and pulled him into a one-arm hug. Zack watched with sad amusement, then blurted, "Does anyone realize what time it is? Trini will bust our butts if we're late."

Kim laughed softly, and elbowed Tommy. "That means you, fearless leader. You're the only one not ready."

"Hey! Is that my fault?"

"Yes," she teased, trying to keep a straight face and failing.

"Don't worry, bro. We got you covered. Your suit's in the car."

"Aw, thanks, man. Let's say goodbye to Zordon, then, and go say goodbye to Trini."

The five gathered in a semi-circle, with Kim in the middle.

"We miss you, Zordon," Jason began hesitantly, voice thick.

"Hope we made you proud." Zack, too, was struggling.

"We'll never forget you, or Trini." Tears pooled in Billy's eyes, unchecked.

"Take care of her for us," Kim whispered. Tommy's arm went around her.

"Wherever you are, Zordon... Trini... may the Power protect you both."

Kim dropped the two yellow roses into the rubble that used to the be Command Center, took a few shuddering breaths, then turned away. Tommy followed, then Zack. Jason touched Billy's arm, then turned to follow his comrades.

Billy Cranston stared at the flowers, beauty among the ashes. Bright yellow sunlight glinted among the metallic debris; wind whistled through the rocks. The loneliness was eating away at him, and he felt his fists clench; his struggle to maintain composure put a painful lump in his throat.

Trini was gone; Billy knew it to be fact, cold and unavoidable, like the gnawing pain in his heart. But he remembered Kim and Tommy, how they'd been sitting in the ruin of the Command Center, wrapped in each other's arms, clinging to each other like they were all they had in the world. Billy managed a wet smile as the image of the couple filled his mind's eye. And he remembered his wife.

"I loved you, Trini," he whispered, before turning from the rubble and following his friends down the mountain. When they came to the bottom, Kim was waiting with open arms.

X

At the Angel Grove Community funeral home, very few took notice of the first group of young adults that came in. The only ones touched were two old friends: Farkas Bulkmeier and Eugene Skullovitch, who had never left Angel Grove. As Tommy could tell you, they opened a resort, aptly named "Bulkmeiers," on the outskirts of the beach. The two men, older and perhaps, wiser, noticed the intense mourning in the eyes of the "geeks" they'd followed around and taunted in high school.

Though friends and family still called the pair by their high school nicknames, at work they went by Gene and Frank. Despite rocky relationships with this particular group of friends in high school, Frank and Gene read about Trini's death in the paper, and felt the loss as if they had been close, since they spent more time with Trini and her group of friends than anyone else in high school. Plus, though they would never voice their suspicions, even out loud to one another, the wisdom that came with years led them to make certain assumptions about the tight-knit, diverse group that stuck together until graduation.

Frank and Gene both unconsciously sat up straighter when they saw a familiar group of people walking into the funeral hall. Aisha Campbell appeared first, with Rocky DeSantos at her side. Aisha was fierce in her efforts to contain her emotion—she looked more angry than sad. Rocky had a tight grip on her hand and a rare solemnity on his face. Just behind them were Adam Park and Tanya Sloan—recently engaged according to the grapevine. The ring on her finger proved the rumor. These two were also holding hands, each looking gravely serious. Bringing up the rear of the group was Justin Stewart, now in his early twenties and just as tall and muscular as Rocky. Justin did not appear particularly sad but his expression was somber. Next to him, coming in last, was Katherine Hillard. Katherine's expression was one of deep loss and tears openly pooled in her eyes.

The group slid into the back of the room sitting together on one pew. A few minutes after they entered, Trini's family processed in. Not even Trini's parents took notice of these young adults; only Bulk and Skull sensed their importance. But even they couldn't be certain that they were looking at the second and third generations of Angel Grove's Power Rangers.

The group didn't wear clothing with particular colors; only dull, dark colors adorned them. They didn't speak or approach anyone, but soaked in the grief as a unit.

The funeral service was just about to begin. The officiator was stepping up to the podium, shuffling some papers around, checking the microphone.

The doors at the back of the hall creaked open again. This time, Trini's parents turned around in their seats and watched, and because they did, many others in the room felt compelled to look.

The first man to come in unconsciously gave himself a double-door entrance by pushing the doors open with both hands. Painfully grave and stoic, Jason Scott walked down the middle aisle with the confidence of a born leader, looking straight ahead and taking long strides. But the bloodshot streaks and dark, grieved circles under his eyes were visible even from far away.

Just behind him was Zachary Taylor. Even though Bulk and Skull hadn't seen Zack since high school, they were stunned by the utter lack of expression on his face. Dark eyes that usually danced with mirth were dull and hands that constantly moved with energetic expression were shoved deep into his pockets.

Following him was Billy Cranston; the effect of the tragedy on him was exactly the opposite of the effect on Zack. Usually, the quiet intellectual showed little to no emotion and was rational even under the worst circumstances. But now, his generally impassive face was contorted with grief. The struggle he was going through just to keep the barest hold on his composure showed in the tightly clenched fists at his side. The double doors closed with a whisper behind him.

There was a slight pause as these three men took their seat in the reserved row directly behind Trini's parents. Trini's parents didn't turn back to face the front, which led the audience to expect something more. Bulk and Skull, the other six in the back row, and the three men sitting behind Trini's parents seemed to hold their breath as the doors opened a final time.

Those that knew them were almost surprised to see them come in together, holding hands; those that didn't couldn't imagine anything more natural. Everyone in the room felt some kind of painful unfairness that these two were coming down an aisle together in such tragic circumstances.

His stride was longer, so he came through the door slightly ahead of her. Tall and serious, Tommy Oliver was a picture of emotional sacrifice. His agony was evident in his dark eyes, but, in effort to support the woman at his side, he was biting his lip to keep his emotions in check. Something about him made everyone in the room feel safer. His eyes were not on the floor, nor facing front; rather, his head was turned to the side so he could watch her.

She seemed so small, frail even. Her flowing black dress brushed the floor. The only bit of color on her appeared in matching pink earrings and a silver chain with a small pink gem around her neck.

Gene Skullovitch felt his breath catch when her face came into view; her hair was tied into a hasty bun, and she wore no makeup. The exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and signs of grief were painfully clear on her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy; her lips were pressed in a tight line. In one hand at her side, she clutched a bouquet of yellow roses. Tommy held her other hand. Her face was calm but tears sat undisturbed on her cheeks.

Very few people in the room were aware that the couple that had just entered were the longest-serving male and longest-serving female warriors chosen by Zordon of Eltar to defend the planet. Even fewer were fully aware of the sacrifices made by this couple, the extreme degree of physical and emotional suffering the two had been put through even after passing their Powers. No other two rangers had been singled out by enemies for persecution like Kim and Tommy had been targeted by Rita Repulsa and Lord Zedd. No other two rangers lost more to the Power than Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart. They'd even lost each other to the Power, ten long years ago.

Jason Scott had watched Tommy slowly lose his Green Ranger powers. Then, Jason had gone through the process himself with the Gold Zeo powers. But he was positive that no Ranger had gone through a more traumatic Power loss than Kimberly Hart-- he blamed her devastating gymnastic injury, severe depression and the infamous letter than followed on the sudden and nearly fatal loss of her link to the Crane.

Kim and Tommy's walk down the aisle seemed to be slowed by the weight of their unknown importance. But unlike the men that came before her, Kim sought out her six friends in the back row—and smiled. Tears spilled over her eyes and her lips were trembling, but her smile stole the breath of every person present.

When Kim was settled in the pew, between Billy and Tommy and behind Trini's parents, the chaplain recovered, the service began, and the significance of the moment faded from the minds of all but eight observers. The five now appeared as a close group of bereaved friends. Nothing more.

X

Zack lost track of the words spoken during the service. Certain phrases would make through the haze of his grief.

"tragedy...advocate for peace... Geneva, Switzerland...devoted to martial arts...invested in community, especially children...intellectually exceptional...young engineer working to protect the environment...loving daughter, fiance, friend...sorely missed..."

All these things were true of Trini. But the man didn't know her. His voice was falsely soothing, his praise monotone. The real testimony to the lives Trini had touched were not on this man's written eulogy, but in the various groups of teenagers and young adults scattered around the hall.

Zack's gaze was instantly drawn to Adam and the others with him. Unlike Kim, he hadn't been able to manage a smile. Tommy had pointed others out before they'd come in. The second generation of Turbo Rangers.Tthe Space Rangers, the Galaxy Rangers, the Lightspeed Rangers, the Time Force Rangers. Some of these teams had come long distances to mourn the death of a legend. On another side of the room, the Wild Force team, the Ninja Storm team, Tommy's former team, the DinoThunder Rangers. In a far corner, the Wild Force Rangers, and even Space Patrol Delta. These groups were hard to pick out if you weren't looking for them. Zack's throat was thick; news that one of Zordon's original warriors had been killed had traveled fast. And far.

The latest team of Rangers (the Operation Overdrive team, as he'd heard from Adam) were much easier to spot; they wore their colors with the innocent pride of an active team. The only two teams wearing their colors were the first and latest. The O:OD rangers were painfully obvious in their color alliance, but the original rangers wore one article of clothing or accessory with their color, in honor of Trini.

Trini's legacy had spread beyond Angel Grove, beyond California, beyond Earth, beyond this galaxy, and even years into the future, and Zack was both heartbroken and furious that none but those burdened with the Power would ever know.

X

When the service concluded, the Kwan family processed out, and to the surprise of many, the five original Rangers followed them, leading the way to Trini's graveside. As they walked, Kim took a few roses from her bouquet and handed them to Tommy. She took some for herself, then let the rest pass to Billy, Zack, and Jason.

At Trini's graveside, the coffin was waiting. Flowers were arranged around a picture of Trini, with a bright smile on her face. A tent was up to give shade to the mourners, because the day was painfully bright. The chaplain said a few more words, then the family led a line to circle by the coffin. As they passed, Kim, Tommy, Billy, Zack, and Jason lay yellow roses on her coffin and whispered their final farewell.

"May the Power protect you."

The procession continued until every family member, friend, and every team of Power Rangers had said their final farewell to Trini, the first Yellow Ranger.

X

The original five did not stay long. Tommy and Kim stuck close together; Zack and Jason, though upset enough themselves, were doing their best to support Billy. None dared approach them in their grief, not even the Aisha and the Zeo rangers.

As a song was sung, Kimberly ventured from Tommy's side to tap Mrs. Kwan on the shoulder. When the older woman turned, and Kimberly saw her tears and drew her close. After a moment, she whispered something in Mrs. Kwan's ear, then pulled herself gently from the embrace. Mrs. Kwan tear face turned up in a genuine smile, and she gave Kimberly one last hug. Once released, Kim cast a final, lingering glance on the flower-draped coffin, then turned back to the four men waiting on her. They enveloped her, and together, the five soldiers retreated from the battle.

X

About an hour after the funeral had concluded, Aisha's cell phone rang. She hung up with a sad smile, and led the exodus of Zordon's second and third generations to Jason's house for a reunion years late in coming.

X

The remaining original five sat in Jason's living room, relishing their last moments alone together.

Kimberly felt like crying—not out of grief this time, but out of bittersweet joy. Relationships that had among the five that had faded were already being reforged.

Billy seemed to pick up right where he left off with everyone. Best friends with Kim, advisor to Tommy and Jason, buddy to Zack. No one had really realized what a gaping whole he had left until he returned and filled it.

One relationship that had faded over time was the bond between Jason and Zack. Zack was sitting on the arm of Jason's recliner, arms crossed as if he didn't know what else to do with them at the moment. Jason and Zack had been inseparable friends. Jason depended on Zack as his second in command, and Zack learned leadership from Jason. After Tommy's arrival and subsequent—almost instant—brotherly bond with Jason, Zack's friendship with the original Red ranger was accidentally moved to a secondary status. When they went to Switzerland together, some of their bond returned, but when they parted ways after the Peace Conference, they lost touch. But now, in the wake of tragedy and too many years, the two men came together again.

Kim was only too aware of the reforged relationship between herself and the men that unconsciously surrounded her. Only she and Jason, the man that appointed himself her older brother and protector, had remained close throughout the past decade. She was grateful for his constant presence in her life.

First, was Zack. Even though Zack was the same age as her, he always felt like a younger, goofy brother. Fun, witty, the life of the party, but always ready to jump to her or anyone's defense without question. Being near him again hardened her determination to hold onto their friendship.

God, she'd missed Billy. They had been the closest of friends since their childhood, defying every unspoken rule of public schooling that pretty, popular cheerleaders don't spend time with the late-blooming class intellectual. Even before Tommy had come and swept her off her feet, Billy had been with her, always her best friend along with Trini. When Trini, Zack, and Jason had set off for Geneva, Kim had cleaved to Billy just as tightly as Tommy. She tried not to think about his return to Aquitar—the idea felt like losing her other best friend.

The most obvious relationship reforming between any of them was the one she'd ended long ago with the man sitting on her left. He was holding her hand. She didn't know what would happen, wasn't sure what he was feeling, but she breathed easier at his side.

Some relationships had never faded. Tommy and Jason had remained as close as brothers, she and Trini has remained as close as sisters, and of course, Jason had always been there when Kim needed him.

Moving back to California was no longer something she would try to arrange in her spare time. She was going to aggressively attack the issue when she returned to Florida. She needed to be close to Jason.

And dare she say it? Tommy?

"I've missed you guys." Her sudden whisper, though soft, seemed to echo around the room. "Billy..."

The first Blue ranger turned to face her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Kim, I know. I'll be back to visit more often, I promise. I've missed Earth. Angel Grove. I need my father, and all of you in my life. I will depend upon Tommy to help me arrange teleportations from Aquitar to Earth."

"You bet, Billy," Tommy murmured.

Zack also looked a little despondent. "New York is closer than Aquitar, I guess, but it still feels worlds away. Maybe I could dance in LA..."

"We'll make it happen, man. You aren't going to lose us a second time," Jason reassured.

"I was already working on moving back to California," Kimberly added. "I'm hoping to find a job in Angel Grove or Stone Canyon or somewhere close to home."

Tommy opened his mouth to suggest Reefside but Jason unknowingly cut him off. "Listen, guys, Trini wouldn't want us to abandon our dreams or neglect the people we love." He favored Billy and Zack with his trademark leader gaze. But for Kimberly, he knew, nothing remained in Florida but pain and a daily reminder of her injury. "But she would want us to stay close. Let's commit right now never to lose touch with each other again."

They all agreed.

"Aisha and the others are on their way," Kim noted a moment later to break the silence. As if on cue, the sound of cars pulling up met their ears. "Anything else that needs to be said while we're alone?" she wondered.

"Trini will never be forgotten," Jason declared, on his way to open the front door. Billy and Tommy nodded in solemn agreement.

"That definitely," Zack agreed. A small grin started to twitch on his lips. As Jason opened the door, Zack blurted out words that left all four of his friends stunned as their former teammates started to flood through the door.

"That, plus Tommy and Kim better get together soon unless they want a very annoyed Trini to open the Gates for them!"

At that moment, Aisha burst through the door and practically tackled a speechless Kim, nearly sideswiping an equally flustered Tommy. Billy jumped aside, actually smiling, nearly colliding with Rocky who had been pulled in behind Aisha. Adam and Tanya came in together, and Adam gravitated toward grinning Zack, his predecessor, and Tanya followed. Justin came in next and nearly pounced on Tommy, firing off questions at his long-time hero. Katherine came in last, smiling sadly at Jason as she crossed the threshold.

She and Jason watched the scene for a moment. Despite everything, there were smiles and chatter already filling the room. From all but two. Kim and Tommy were both blushing fiercely and barely managing yes and no answers.

Katherine's eyes lost a bit of sadness and brightened. "I take it they've talked."

Jason laughed, shutting the door behind her. "Oh, they've talked. That's almost all they've done for the past 48 hours."

"That's good." The pair was grinning now, talking to those around them. Aisha and Kim were chatting at a mile a minute, and Tommy was finally answering some of Justin's questions. "They look happier."

"About as happy as two people could be in this particular situation," Jason agreed, serious now. "Kat, those two are the two most important people in my life, pretty much. I know them. And they need each other."

Kat nodded. "And we needed them to realize it. So much was complicated when they parted. And for something as beautiful as..." she dared not verbalize it for fear of jinxing them, and merely jerked her head in their direction, "to come from Trini's death... it might help the pain in the end."

Jason was quiet for so long that she feared her remark had attempted to lesson the agony of Trini's death, but finally, he responded.

"She would want it."

Adam and Tanya were the only official Ranger couple in the room. Billy was married to Cestria (though the original four were aware of the feelings that had run deep between Billy and Trini). Rocky and Aisha had remained inseparable since her return from Africa but denied all the rumors; Jason was dating Emily, Kat was engaged, Justin was living the life of a proud college bachelor, and Zack was toying with the idea of looking up Angela before he left Angel Grove, but none of these compared to Tommy and Kim. Tommy and Kim whose names were naturally said together. Tommy and Kim whose love had been the most steady, anchoring force of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers outside of Zordon and the Power itself. Tommy and Kim, whose love had also been the weakness most easily exploited by enemies. Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart, the longest-serving male and female warriors burdened by the Power, the two that suffered the most at the hands of enemies and at the hands of the world. If any two souls anywhere deserved peace...

The reunion lasted well into the night. There were tears and laughs, funny stories and sad ones, and many, many embraces. As people began to fall asleep all over Jason's house, Tommy finally gathered up all his nerve.

"Let me get back to you on that, Rocko," he said, and stood. He approached Kim, who was deep in conversation with Kat and Billy.

"Uh... Kim? Would you like to take a walk?"

As Kim stood, conversations hit a speed bump around the room. Billy and Kat were staring, and Zack, Jason, Adam, and Tanya glanced over. Rocky elbowed Aisha; she smacked him and hissed something in a whisper. A sleepy Justin blinked twice. Jason bit his lip.

"Sure, Tommy."

As soon as the door shut behind them, the room erupted into hope.

X

Tommy led Kim through the sparse woods behind Jason's house, a loose grip on his hand. He shortened his stride to match hers and the two took their time, letting their silence fade into the gentle breeze.

After a moment, Tommy could bear quiet no longer. "So, when will you go back to Florida?"

Her fingers tightened around his hands. "Technically, I'm still on vacation from work-- I wasn't due to come back from Paris for another week. So, if Jase doesn't mind, I was going to stick around here for that week and try to drop some resumes off. I want to have a job waiting for me when I return."

"So you are coming back?" Tommy repeated, too quickly.

She smiled slightly. "My time is Florida is over. Being around gymnasts and Coach is sometimes just too painful. Besides, Angel Grove will always be my home. I'm a California girl, after all." Her soft smile lingered before the long silence stretching after her words chased it away.

They meandered slowly through the trees, still holding hands. She knew Tommy must have had something to say since he asked her to come out here, but she could not keep silent for long.

"Tommy..."

The anxiety in her voice stopped him mid-step and he turned to face her. She was crying.

"Tommy... I'm... I'm so sorry for what happened to us. I was so weak; so cowardly, and because of my weakness... I ruined us. I was too ashamed to admit how scared and depressed I was in Florida to anyone, even you, and my depression got me injured, and I lost my dreams, my career because of it. Then, I was too ashamed of my injury and even more depressed to let anyone in, and ending up writing you that awful letter and cutting myself from everyone I loved except for Trini and Jason that fought their way back into my life. And then... after I recovered, I was just too cowardly to confront you, too afraid that you might be better off without me, too afraid to ruin your happiness to confront you after Divatox, or even any other time before now. Not a night goes by that I don't wish I had been stronger."

Moved, Tommy pulled her into his arms. "Kim, stop this. First of all, I don't blame you for what happened to us. First of all, because it takes two to tango. I didn't fight for you. I was too proud and hurt and angry at first to call you. And at Muranthias, I was too confused about you and Jason and too afraid to talk to you then. I am just as responsible as you for our break-up."

He pulled back slightly so he could see her eyes.

"But that aside... I blame Rita Repulsa for our break-up more than any one else. I even blame your injury and depression on her too. Because she stole your power coin, and because you were so closely bonded to the Craine power, she caused you to go into a nearly fatal and much more traumatic power withdrawal than any of the rest of us ever had to endure. Even me. You can't be held for your actions when under that kind of trauma."

She smiled slightly. "Thank you, Tommy."

She was quiet for so long that Tommy wondered if she was going to speak again at all. But when she took a deep breath, he realized she'd been working up the nerve.

"Tommy... I'll always regret all the wasted years, all the pain I caused for so many... I just hope... I just... It's just that... my feelings for you never changed." Tommy. I...I still love you."

She bit her lip, waiting for his response. When he turned from her and started to slowly walk forward again, he could almost feel her anxiety. She didn't follow, only waited.

After a second, he stopped, and turned back around to face her with a million-watt grin.

"I didn't want to make it too easy for you," he teased with a laugh.

Surprise and relief slowly overwhelmed Kim's lovely features, and her wide smile made tears spill over her eyes. Both remembered the time when she had said those very same words to him, so long ago.

And just like before, he took her small waist in his hands and swung her in a circle. She let out a delighted squeal.

He didn't put her down, but held her above the ground ,gazing into her eyes. "Kimberly, I've always loved you. I always will. What do you say we give this another go?"

She laughed, tears streaming down her face. "I say yes."

And so, with their friends secretly watching them through Jason's windows, Tommy kissed her until both were short of breath.

Above them, a bright yellow star winked her approval.

**The End**


End file.
